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sid_guardian2025-09-07 09:20 am
china_shop) wrote in sid_guardian2025-09-07 09:20 am
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Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 1, part 1
Hi, and welcome to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch! Join us to watch half an episode a week (at your leisure) and then come and chat about it here in comments. If you already know the drama, of course you can jump in without rewatching if you prefer!
Episode 1, up to 22:28
Summary
The prologue explains Haixing's history. Professor Shen Wei presents a public lecture and turns down a job offer. Guo Changcheng reports to the SID in the middle of the night, where Zhao Yunlan is outrageous and the rest of the team scares Changcheng into fainting. Twice. An unseen threat chases Li Qian through the night. Zhao Yunlan investigates a murder at the university, where he and Da Qing dangle Guo Changcheng out a window while they discuss the case. Guo Changcheng's cries draw Shen Wei's attention. Cat!Da Qing gets strokes. Shen Wei is very intense, and Zhao Yunlan notices. Afterwards, Zhao Yunlan interrogates Li Qian about the murder; Shen Wei comes to pick her up for class and further arouses Zhao Yunlan's suspicions in the process. Zhao Yunlan sends Guo Changcheng to tail Shen Wei.
Quote
ZYL: By the way, I'm Zhao. I'm handling this case. What's your name, sir?
SW: No "sir". I'm Shen. Shen Wei. I teach here.
ZYL: Shen Wei? A good name.
Detail
I love the contrast between:
Zhao Yunlan: Damn Fatty.
Li Qian: What a fat black cat!
Guo Changcheng: It can speak?! *faints*
Shen Wei: *strokes* This is a very intelligent cat.
:D :D :D
Questions
Do you have any thoughts or feelings about the prologue? What was your first impression of Shen Wei -- good guy or bad guy? First impression of Zhao Yunlan -- would you trust him? Do you empathise with Guo Changcheng's fear? (If someone turned into a cat in front of you, would you be terrified, delighted, or both?) When Guo Changcheng falls from the window, is he unhurt or does Shen Wei surreptitiously heal his ankle? From Zhao Yunlan's POV, what is the most suspicious thing about Shen Wei at this point?
Do you have a favourite scene or quote? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation starts? The absolute perfection of the casting? :D :D :D Anything else?
(These are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in!)
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no subject
This was such a delight to come back to. Just starting the episode and seeing the opening credits - the hand of the clock moving! And We Won't Be Falling. Chen Xueran is so good, I love this song. And the story will keep on going, indeed! ♥ ♥ ♥
I love the prologue, situating us in a sci-fi universe. I also always notice four things in particular:
For the last point, I wonder if that's the last remnant of how the YOHE sequence was originally envisioned, when they thought they'd have the budget for it, and it was all rewritten and cut down to the bare essentials before it ever got to filming. And come to think of it, I wonder if the Dixing woman might have turned up there, too ...
I love that both Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan get very ominous intros! Shen Wei with turning away from the blackboard, and that smile - he hasn't done a thing yet, or said a word, and yet it's already very clear Something Is Up with this guy. *g* And Zhao Yunlan with the motorcycle helmet and the threatening appearance, and then the way he handles Xiao-Guo! Hee!
But back a step first, I always love that Professor Ouyang mentions his favourite student in his conversation with Shen Wei, giving us some foreshadowing for the later reveal about Lin Jing! And when Professor Ouyang quotes Professor Zhou as saying no one knows what SW is thinking, it makes me want so much more Shen Wei from Professor Zhou's POV!
Favourite line: "I need to have something in my mouth", AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
I love Li Qian touching her pendant when she senses something amiss! And that we see her running, then we get info about a dead girl, and we have a five-second misdirect where we might think it's Li Qian, before we get to see the dead Lu Ruomei. *g* (Already starting out with things not being as they appear!)
I'm always so fascinated with the police guy explaining to the newbie about the SID, right in front of all these bystanders - clearly the SID's existence isn't particularly secret, only what the "strange" cases they handle actually are about.
ZYL measuring the handprint with his lollipop stick, hee!
ETA: And both ZYL and DQ refer to Dixing as "over there" in their conversation, I wonder why that is ...
I'm still wondering about dangling Xiao-Guo out the window. In the novel, that doesn't happen - ZYL tells GCC to see what's outside the window, and he's standing on the window sill when SW turns up and startles him so he slips and falls. (No, I didn't remember all this detail, I just looked it up *g*) Whereas in the drama, it looks like they're re-enacting Lu Ruomei's death, since Li Qian saw her dangling from the window (held by shadows rather than rope). I wonder if ZYL is trying to figure out whether a mundane explanation is possible? (Which makes me wonder why the SID was called in in the first place ... Because of Li Qian reporting a shadow? Or did she not say that until ZYL questioned her?)
Anyway, Shen Wei turning up and calling Xiao-Guo "student", asking what he's doing - yeah, he's seen some students doing weird inadvisable dangerous stuff, LOL. :D
ZYL flinching back when he's caught having let Xiao-Guo fall, aww!
Shen Wei musts recognise Da Qing in cat form, since he's got the bells on, right? Especially since he's just seen "Kunlun" in the window.
I always adore the handshake. Shen Wei forgetting to let go of Zhao Yunlan's hand ... and then after he does let go, Zhao Yunlan standing there still sticking out his hand for another long moment, hee! ♥ ♥ ♥
Yay for Da Qing's presence pulling Li Qian out of her flashbacks and making her smile! BEST KITTY. ♥
I love Da Qing complaining about having to work while everyone else except Lao-Chu gets to slack off in the office, LOL! And he absolutely subconsciously recognises Shen Wei for a moment, doesn't he?
I always wonder about "the technology explosion 10,000 years ago" that Shen Wei mentions. And very cool that Haixing history not only goes back that far, but is well enough known that he can casually mention this, without it being suspicious in its own right!
Though of course Zhao Yunlan is immediately suspicious of Shen Wei. Not that Shen Wei is in any way trying to be non-suspicious! He very much wants Zhao Yunlan's attention, and he's definitely getting it. :D :D :D
Zhao Yunlan sends Guo Changcheng to tail Shen Wei.
Yeah, about that - do we think he actually thinks Xiao-Guo can do that? Or is he setting him up to fail?
I love the contrast between:
Ooh yes! Those are excellent quotes all. I love that!
Do you have any thoughts or feelings about the prologue?
SO MANY. I just mentioned a few above, or we'd be here all day. *g*
What was your first impression of Shen Wei -- good guy or bad guy?
I knew about him going in, so that was never in question.
First impression of Zhao Yunlan -- would you trust him?
LOL no.
If someone turned into a cat in front of you, would you be terrified, delighted, or both?
I'd think it was some elaborate kind of prank at first, some kind of Candid Camera thing, tbh. But definitely delighted otherwise, even if worried about the laws of nature, LOL.
When Guo Changcheng falls from the window, is he unhurt or does Shen Wei surreptitiously heal his ankle?
I think even if he doesn't heal him, he definitely does check him out to see if he needs healing! Possibly he doesn't, depending on how well the rope did at slowing down his fall.
From Zhao Yunlan's POV, what is the most suspicious thing about Shen Wei at this point?
Too calm about the murdered student. And also that handshake is weird! *g*
no subject
(I completely skipped over the credits. Bad habit from streaming things. /o\ I'll watch them for ep 2.)
the narrator's "we", situating us in a Haixing POV
Oh, yes, great point. So much! That's part of the arc of the show, isn't it -- moving towards a more encompassing "we".
And come to think of it, I wonder if the Dixing woman might have turned up there, too ...
Ooh, they could have had a YOHE case to investigate! Ooh. *wants*
I love that both Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan get very ominous intros!
Ha, yes. <3 <3 <3
Favourite line: "I need to have something in my mouth", AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!
Hee! There seems to be consensus about that line. :D (So sad it's not in the VIKI subs; they read, "I just quit smoking. I need to eat something.")
I love Li Qian touching her pendant when she senses something amiss!
Do you think that's for comfort or because she senses/guesses her pursuer is after it?
And that we see her running, then we get info about a dead girl, and we have a five-second misdirect where we might think it's Li Qian, before we get to see the dead Lu Ruomei.
Oh, great point. By this stage, it never ever occurs to me that it could have been LQ. I can't remember if it did the first time. Surely it must have.
And both ZYL and DQ refer to Dixing as "over there" in their conversation, I wonder why that is ...
Again, the VIKI subs are a bit different:
ZYL: This was surely done by those people.
DQ: Those people? Are their reins loosening? How could they allow their people to escape up here?
(Oh noooo, we're back in the drama but we still have translation variants! LOL!)
Whereas in the drama, it looks like they're re-enacting Lu Ruomei's death, since Li Qian saw her dangling from the window (held by shadows rather than rope).
Yes, although this is before they interview LQ, so they must be going off the police report. Maybe LQ de-mysteried her explanation for the cops so they'd believe her.
Shen Wei musts recognise Da Qing in cat form, since he's got the bells on, right? Especially since he's just seen "Kunlun" in the window.
100%! :D
and then after he does let go, Zhao Yunlan standing there still sticking out his hand for another long moment, hee! ♥ ♥ ♥
Aww, I had to go back and rewatch that. ZYL lets his open hand hover there a moment, and then he curls it closed and pulls back. That speaks to some kind of feeling, I think. I wonder if anyone's ever tried to hold on to him before; he does so much being prickly and keeping people at a distance...
And he absolutely subconsciously recognises Shen Wei for a moment, doesn't he?
Something is rustling in the back of his mind, for sure. (I love that Shen Wei can quite plausibly go around calling anyone who looks under 30 "student" -- so convenient for pretending he doesn't know what's going on. :D (I mean, for Xiao-Guo, he didn't know what was going on, but still.))
I always wonder about "the technology explosion 10,000 years ago" that Shen Wei mentions. And very cool that Haixing history not only goes back that far, but is well enough known that he can casually mention this, without it being suspicious in its own right!
Oh, true! We never hear more about that, do we? Presumably a reference to some of Ma Gui's inventions, since his portrait still hangs in Haixing Admin??
do we think he actually thinks Xiao-Guo can do that? Or is he setting him up to fail?
I think if Shen Wei were ordinary and oblivious, GCC could maybe have done it, so it's a test of both of them. If ZYL were really worried, he'd have sent DQ, though.
I'd think it was some elaborate kind of prank at first, some kind of Candid Camera thing, tbh.
Ha, that makes sense. <3
Too calm about the murdered student. And also that handshake is weird! *g*
:D :D :D
no subject
Hee! I usually skip them too, so I decided to deliberately watch them this time. Worth it! :D
That's part of the arc of the show, isn't it -- moving towards a more encompassing "we".
Oh yes, that's an excellent point!
Ooh, they could have had a YOHE case to investigate! Ooh. *wants*
Me too! More YOHE, yes!
Hee! There seems to be consensus about that line. :D (So sad it's not in the VIKI subs; they read, "I just quit smoking. I need to eat something.")
Oh, how very weird! I just looked at the Chinese again, he says 嘴里非得叼一点什么, so the other translation is spot on.
Do you think that's for comfort or because she senses/guesses her pursuer is after it?
Huh, that's a good question. Do you think she does realise at that point that the attacker is after the Sundial? I didn't think so, but she might ... Either way, I do think on some level it's definitely for comfort, whether there's another reason or not.
And that we see her running, then we get info about a dead girl, and we have a five-second misdirect where we might think it's Li Qian, before we get to see the dead Lu Ruomei.
And both ZYL and DQ refer to Dixing as "over there" in their conversation, I wonder why that is ...
Again, the VIKI subs are a bit different:
Original subs: "This is definitely someone 'over there''s handiwork.
Solo's subs: This was definitely done by one of them.
Viki: This was surely done by those people.
Funnily I was watching with Solo's subs, and got "over there" directly from the Chinese! Sometimes the original subs are closer to the Chinese wording. *g* Anyway, what what the Chinese actually says is 那边人 (ZYL) and 那边的人 (DQ), both meaning literally "the people (from) over there".
(Oh noooo, we're back in the drama but we still have translation variants! LOL!)
LOL! But unlike with the novel, there is only one Chinese version, and we can easily check it for ourselves. *g*
Maybe LQ de-mysteried her explanation for the cops so they'd believe her.
Yeah, that would make sense!
ZYL lets his open hand hover there a moment, and then he curls it closed and pulls back. That speaks to some kind of feeling, I think. I wonder if anyone's ever tried to hold on to him before; he does so much being prickly and keeping people at a distance...
Yes! And oh, that's a good point. Awwww. *pets him*
I love that Shen Wei can quite plausibly go around calling anyone who looks under 30 "student" -- so convenient for pretending he doesn't know what's going on. :D
Yes! And I love how he uses that with Da Qing. :D
We never hear more about that, do we? Presumably a reference to some of Ma Gui's inventions, since his portrait still hangs in Haixing Admin??
I don't remember it ever coming up again, no! And yeah, presumably Ma Gui, possibly in combination with a general boom after the end of the war?
I think if Shen Wei were ordinary and oblivious, GCC could maybe have done it, so it's a test of both of them. If ZYL were really worried, he'd have sent DQ, though.
Oh, true on both counts! He's suspicious and testing, but not seriously worried about SW possibly being dangerous. Fascinating ...
no subject
Oh, how very weird! I just looked at the Chinese again, he says 嘴里非得叼一点什么, so the other translation is spot on.
Maybe they were downplaying the innuendo for some reason...
Either way, I do think on some level it's definitely for comfort, whether there's another reason or not.
Yes, agreed. I feel like she might well subconsciously sense her grandmother's spirit there.
And both ZYL and DQ refer to Dixing as "over there" in their conversation, I wonder why that is ...
I guess they're being discreet out of habit -- or because they're in semi-public.
LOL! But unlike with the novel, there is only one Chinese version, and we can easily check it for ourselves. *g*
Well, you can. (And then we can debate whether a literal word-for-word translation is most accurate or not, in terms of getting the meaning and nuance across. ;-)
Oh, a further thought about ZYL leaving his hand sticking out -- it's not completely unlike how he lets his arm hover after GCC pushes him away at the start of the arriving-at-the-SID scene.
And yeah, presumably Ma Gui, possibly in combination with a general boom after the end of the war?
Ooh, yes. That would be nice. *wishes good things for post-war Fu You and Ma Gui*
no subject
Oh yes, I like that! ♥
And then we can debate whether a literal word-for-word translation is most accurate or not, in terms of getting the meaning and nuance across.
I mean, I think generally it's ideal to have both word-for-word and a more idiomatic translation, to get as much as possible across. *g*
*wishes good things for post-war Fu You and Ma Gui*
*joins you in the wishing*
no subject
For the last point, I wonder if that's the last remnant of how the YOHE sequence was originally envisioned, when they thought they'd have the budget for it, and it was all rewritten and cut down to the bare essentials before it ever got to filming. And come to think of it, I wonder if the Dixing woman might have turned up there, too ...
Even this watch I still missed the horses /o\ I like your idea that this was what we could have gotten if the budget had been there.
no subject
no subject
:D :D :D *BOUNCES*
"Just starting the episode and seeing the opening credits - the hand of the clock moving! And We Won't Be Falling. Chen Xueran is so good, I love this song."
♡♡♡! Random fact: I have the song on repeat most times when I go for a walk. :D I also can't resist watching at least a part of the credits (opening or closing or both) pretty much every time I rewatch any part of an episode, which is most days. :D
"the narrator's "we", situating us in a Haixing POV"
Ooh, I didn't pay attention to that, thanks for pointing it out!
"For the last point, I wonder if that's the last remnant of how the YOHE sequence was originally envisioned, when they thought they'd have the budget for it, and it was all rewritten and cut down to the bare essentials before it ever got to filming. And come to think of it, I wonder if the Dixing woman might have turned up there, too ..."
Oh wow, I LOVE this idea, and now I'm basically 100% sure that this must be the case, yes! ♡ This time when I watched it I only went 'hey, all the scenery looks quite novel-like' (and in general I always appreciate it for this tiny bit of info about how the YOHE war looked) and didn't think further about it, but YES, I'm convinced that this is what they actually wanted to film, but in the end they only got to make the animation. It would also go with DQ being there in his YOHE outfit. :D And yes, ITA too that maybe the woman and any OCs are not OCs after all, just characters who got scrapped! Ahhhh, I want this part of the story even more now, and I've already wanted it a whole lot! ♡
"I love that both Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan get very ominous intros!"
Hahah, right? And both in slow-motion too (though Zhao Yunlan less than Shen Wei). :D
"But back a step first, I always love that Professor Ouyang mentions his favourite student in his conversation with Shen Wei, giving us some foreshadowing for the later reveal about Lin Jing!"
Yesss, this is such an early foreshadowing, I forgot that it was there and I was very impressed to see it now. :D
"And when Professor Ouyang quotes Professor Zhou as saying no one knows what SW is thinking, it makes me want so much more Shen Wei from Professor Zhou's POV!"
ITA and tbh I just want to see Shen Wei from everyone's POV. :D
"Favourite line: "I need to have something in my mouth", AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"
Heeee, GODS YES, let's all be very normal about this line! xD *HIGH FIVE* ♡___♡ :D :D
"I'm always so fascinated with the police guy explaining to the newbie about the SID, right in front of all these bystanders - clearly the SID's existence isn't particularly secret, only what the "strange" cases they handle actually are about."
This makes me wonder if regular people think that 'strange cases' are the regular kind of supernatural (like in the novel), which doesn't seem to exist in-universe, so the SID mostly just gets ignored by people who rightly don't believe in any of it? And no one knows that there's mysterious scientific stuff actually happening around them.
"ZYL measuring the handprint with his lollipop stick, hee!"
One of my favorite random details! :D
"Anyway, Shen Wei turning up and calling Xiao-Guo "student", asking what he's doing - yeah, he's seen some students doing weird inadvisable dangerous stuff, LOL. :D"
Lol, awww! :D (The novel basically confirms it - "School rules strictly forbid climbing on buildings. It’s too dangerous. Now, I won’t give you any demerits this time. Let me take you to the school clinic?" And obviously Shen Wei doesn't care about any punishment because he's worried that Xiao Guo is hurt - which I totally see in the drama scene too, it doesn't need to be said out loud. :D)
"Shen Wei musts recognise Da Qing in cat form, since he's got the bells on, right? Especially since he's just seen "Kunlun" in the window."
Definitely! :D
"I always adore the handshake. Shen Wei forgetting to let go of Zhao Yunlan's hand ... and then after he does let go, Zhao Yunlan standing there still sticking out his hand for another long moment, hee! ♥ ♥ ♥"
♡♡♡! AW! ♡ It kinda turned into one of Zhao Yunlan's confused gestures, but it does look like he wouldn't mind for the handshake to be even longer. :D
"And he absolutely subconsciously recognises Shen Wei for a moment, doesn't he?"
Definitely looks like that to me! (Poor Shen Wei, Kunlun doesn't remember him, and Da Qing doesn't remember him either! For completely different reasons but it's not like it changes anything.)
"I always wonder about "the technology explosion 10,000 years ago" that Shen Wei mentions. And very cool that Haixing history not only goes back that far, but is well enough known that he can casually mention this, without it being suspicious in its own right!"
Ooh, neat, I didn't think of that potentially being suspicious!
"Yeah, about that - do we think he actually thinks Xiao-Guo can do that? Or is he setting him up to fail?"
I think he's just giving him a job that he thinks is not too hard (so maybe GCC can actually do it) and not too important (so it's okay if he can't).
"I'd think it was some elaborate kind of prank at first, some kind of Candid Camera thing, tbh."
Lol yes, I didn't even think of that, but that would definitely be the reasonable reaction. :D
"I think even if he doesn't heal him, he definitely does check him out to see if he needs healing!"
AW, I love this idea, I'm sure he does! ♡
no subject
Yay! &heart;
I'm with you, just thinking about what it could have been like going by the prologue, I want it even more! And there's a lot of good YOHE fic around, but I haven't found one yet that hits exactly what I want, which admittedly is difficult to pin down. *g*
I forgot that it was there and I was very impressed to see it now. :D
Right? I remember the first time I rewatched and noticed this, I was all, wait, what? that's here already???? :D :D :D
This makes me wonder if regular people think that 'strange cases' are the regular kind of supernatural (like in the novel), which doesn't seem to exist in-universe, so the SID mostly just gets ignored by people who rightly don't believe in any of it?
Haha, I'd totally buy that some people at least believe this about the SID!
The novel basically confirms it - "School rules strictly forbid climbing on buildings. It’s too dangerous. Now, I won’t give you any demerits this time. Let me take you to the school clinic?"
Oh! I'd totally forgotten about that! Yeah, that uni doesn't have a rule against climbing the building just for no reason, it's very "this has happened often enough that it needed to be a rule", LOL.
For completely different reasons but it's not like it changes anything.
Yeah! And the two of them not remembering for different reasons is also great at obfuscating the real reason for the (first-time) viewer!
not too hard (so maybe GCC can actually do it) and not too important (so it's okay if he can't)
Oh, that's an excellent way of putting it, that makes perfect sense!